So things are looking a little different today.

  • No twitter posts in the main blog stream, they now live in the sidebar.
  • The maintenance I promised is definitely happening. :-)

Let me introduce you to the latest and probably the single most customised theme I have ever put on any of my blogs to date. More importantly, it is only the second time in the history of my blogs where I can say that this theme is absolutely unique and one of a kind. You will not find another like it on the internet today. Tomorrow… Who can say. I suspect people are going to be copying it for a while. ;-)

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the premium design by Bubblegum Creative!

There are a lot of features to this new design. I don’t really want to spoil it for a lot of you, but if you see a Triangle or a + symbol, click them. Especially the dark grey triangles in circles on the individual posts pages. ;-) One in the top right corner and one down by the comments (when there are comments on a post.)

There are lots of other little tricks like those all over the place. You’ll see them as I post stuff.

The archives are now MUCH easier to navigate. They were getting to the point where the pages were just too long from the list of months going back to 2005. The new Archives page will mean that I’ll have to be blogging for a LOT more years yet before that becomes an issue at all. It also makes it a lot easier for people to find things quickly.

The search has been streamlined a bit. Results appear much the same as the way the archives are present, so they will be FAR easier to get through.

Most magical of all, Nick has really captured the spirit of the previous designs I have put together or used on this site (and the ones before it.) It really does feel like we have finally evolved the look of the site to where it should be. The bold highlights over the subdued. The site really does immediately feel like home for me, even though I’m still bedding it in myself.

The site design is valid CSS with valid XHTML. The only thing that can screw it up from validating is my poor code in individual posts. ;-) Its been a long time since I took the effort to achieve that result.

The design works on every browser. Including IE7+. I can’t guarantee IE6, but you shouldn’t be using that any more anyway. Even Microsoft doesn’t want you using IE6.

There are some pages that I need to put finishing touches to. These include the Contact page CSS and then also the Tutorials page. Given you can get to the Tutorials by going to the “HOWTO” category, thats not a major priority to me at the moment. The Contacts page CSS will be finished by the end of the weekend.

There is so much more I could tell you about the design. Like the how I used the fight of Raistlin vs Fistandantilus to explain what the neon tendrils at the top of the screen. :-) But what I think I might do instead is leave things open for Nick to talk about and share. After all, this is his design.

Guys, my HUGE thanks to Nick and his Bubblegum Creative. This is truly a pure work of art.